Electrostatical device for circular-knitting machines.



c. we. I ELECTROSTATICAL DEVICE FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2, IBM.

LWLWSE Patented Apr.22,1919.

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CURT FEIG, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 VENANGO KNITTING MILLS, INCORPORATED, 015 PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 22, 19119.

Application filed January 2, 1917. Serial No. 210,061.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CURT FEIG, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Electrostatical Device for Circular-Knitting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of knitting machines particularly designed for the manufacture of hosiery in which different colored threads are employed for forming a striped effect. Great difficulty has been experienced in the manufacture of silk hosiery in obtainingwell defined and perfect stripes, free of knots, holes and other imperfections due to the fact that at predetermined periods when substituting a silk thread of one color for that of another color, the flufiy-like strands of the discontinued silk thread are caught and become entangled in the needles so that the same are knitted with the substituted thread. Commercially considered, hosiery thus manufactured, has practically little or no value. The leading object of the present invention is to overcome the above described disadvantageous features and provide an attachment for circular knitting machines so designed that the fluffy-like strands of a discontinued silk thread of one color are held away from the needles so as not to be caught up by and knitted into the fabric along with a substituted silk thread of another color. A further object is to attain the above stated leading object through the medium of an electrostatical device carried by a fixed part of the machine above the needle cylinder and disposed within and concentric with the path of circular travel of the needles thereof. Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description.

The invention consists of the improve ments hereinafter described and finally claimed.

The nature, characteristic features and scope of the invention will be more fully understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof and in which:

. Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in central section of a circular knitting machine equipped with the electrostatical device embodying the invention. 7

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the underside of the support equipped with said electrostatical device.

Fig. 3 is a view in cross-section of the electrostatical device, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of a stocking hereinafter referred to.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention, I have shown in the accompanying drawings one form thereof which is at present preferred by me, since the same has been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variously arranged andv organized and that my invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of the instrumentalities as herein shown and described. In the drawing 10 designates the needle cylinder and 11 the needles of a circular knitting machine. These parts as well as the various mechanism for effecting tubular knitting are of usual constructuon. Fixed above the needle cylinder 10 and disposed within and concentric with the path of circular travel of the needles 11 is a segmental plate 12. Operatively mounted with respect to the plate 12 is a clamp or binder 18 and cutter 14 which are employed where different colored threads are thrown into and out of action as is well known in the art. Fixed to the underside of the plate 12 and disposed concentric therewith is the electrostatical device of the invention. The device comprises a segmental ring-like member consisting of a flat base 15 having depending therefrom a rib 16. The rib 16 has a convexed, outer and lower surface and the base 15 has an annular beveled portion '17. Screw-threaded sockets 18 may be present which extend through the top of the base down into the rib 16 as clearly shown in Fig. 3. In such case, the device is secured to the underside of the plate 12 by means of screws 19 which engage with said screwthreaded sockets 18 shown in Fig. 1.

Other modes of attaclnneut may of 00111190 tlzz'oW out ofaczior the dc e/ttctect In practice, the device is molded in one piece, hard rubber being employed for the purpose. Obviously, however, it is not essential that the device be made in one piece and other material, for instance, amber, celluloid and the like capable of being influenced, through friction, to retain a static charge of electricity, may be employed. As clearly shown in Fig. 1, the electrostatical device is so located that the material 20 being knit frictionally engages or rubs against the lower, outer surface of the rib 16 and thus electrifies the device.

A description of the knitting operation in so far as the same bears relation to the electrostatical device will now be given, in connection with which reference will be had to Fig. 4: in which is shown a portion of a silk stocking in which the numeral 20 designates the body of silk and 21 the stripes of silk. For illustrative purposes, let it be assumed that white and blue silk threads are to be employed in the knitting and that the body is to be white and the stripes blue. Knitting of the body takes place in the well understood manner until the point (6 is reached at which point it becomes necessary to place the white silk under tension so that no white. silk threads are picked down by theneedles. By the time the needle which in its regular travel was the last to pick down white silk reaches first the binder and then the cutter said needle has caused the white silk to pass beneath the binder 13 and between the cutter parts. The cutter in operation severs the white silk and the binder maintains the severed end in proper position. Meanwhile the blue silk thread which was previously held by the binder 13 is picked down by the needles and knitting of a stripe 21 from the point a to 6 takes place. Heretofore, during the travel of threads having cut-off end portions, considerable difliculty was experienced in obtaining knitting having well defined and perfect stripes, free of knots, holes and other imperfections. Because of the flufly-like makeup of silk, the loose strands thereof were caught and become entangled in the needles so that when a different colored silk was being knit, said loose strands were knitted therewith, causing knotted eifects or else causing tearing of the stitches and sometimes causing all of these defects.

According to the present invention, these loose, fiufl'y-like strands are caused to adhere to the electrostatic device so that they are freeof the needles as clearly illustrated at 22in Fig. 1. In this connection, it is to be noted-that the particular portion of the silk thread under consideration is guided toward the electrostatic device by means of the guide piece 28. Obviously, when the point Z) is reached, the above operation is repeated to I Mlle .sy'Z/r, to throw into action the white silk again and to cause the blue silk thread not picked down by the needles to be drawn away from the needles by the electrostatic device.

. By the employment of the electrostatic device, well defined and perfect stripes are produced, free of knots, holes and other imperfections,

It will now be apparent that I have devised a novel and useful construction which embodies the features of advantage enumerated asdesirable in the statement of the invention and the above description, and while I have in the present instance shown and described the preferred embodiment thereof which has been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable'results, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of modification in various particulars without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

hat I claim is:

1. Apparatus of the character stated, comprising knitting mechanism, a thread binder and a thread cutter in combination with an electrostatic device disposed adjacent the knitting mechanism and with which device the work frictionally engages as it leaves the knitting mechanism to electrify said device whereby the strands of a discontinued thread are caused to adhere to said device during at least a portion of its travel to said binder and cutter.

2. Apparatus of the character stated comprising knitting mechanism, means for effecting a change of threads at predetermined intervals, a fixed support provided with a thread binder and a thread cutter in combination with an electrostatic device carried by the underside of said support and with which device the work frictionally engages as it leaves the knitting mechanism to electrify said device whereby the strands of a discontinued thread are caused to adhere to said device during at least a portion of its travel to said binder and cutter.

8. Apparatus of the character stated comprising knitting mechanism, means for effecting a change of threads at predetermined intervals, a fixed support provided with a thread binder and a thread cutter in combination with a segmental, ring-like member of hard rubber carried by the underside of said support and with which device the work frictionally engages as it leaves the knitting mechanism to electrify said device whereby the strands of a discontinued thread are caused to adhere to said device during at least a portion of its travel to said binder and cutter.

41.. Apparatus of the character stated comprising knitting mechanism, means for effectinga changeof threads at predetermined intervals, a fixed support provided with a thread binder and thread cutter in combination with a segmental, ring-like member of hard rubber having a depending rib carried by the underside of said support and with which device the work frictionally engages as it leaves the knitting mechanism to electrify said device whereby the strands of a discontinued thread are caused to adhere to said device during at least a portion of its travel to said binder and cutter.

5. As a new article of manufacture an attachment for knitting machines of the character stated comprising a segmental, ringlike member having a base portion adapted to be fixed above the needle cylinder of a knitting machine so as to be disposed within and concentric with the path of circular travel of the needles said base portion terminating in a depending rib.

6. As a new article of manufacture an attachment for knitting machines of the character stated comprising a segmental, ringlike member having a base portion adapted to be fixed above the needle cylinder of a knitting machine so as to be disposed within and concentric with the path of circular travel of the needles said base portion terminating in a depending rib, said base and rib having screw-threaded sockets therein.

7 As a new article of manufacture an attachment for knitting machines of the character stated comprising a segmental-ringlike member having a base portion adapted to be fixed above the needle cylinder of a knitting machine so as to be disposed within and concentric with the path of circular travel of the needles said base portion terminating in an integral, depending rib.

8. Apparatus of the character stated comprising in combination knitting mechanism including a needle cylinder and its needles and a device so positioned with respect to said cylinder that the work as it leaves the needles frictionally engages said device.

9. Apparatus of the character stated comprising in combination knitting mechanism, and a segmental, ring-like member of hard rubber, so positioned that the work as it leaves said knitting mechanism frictionally engages said member.

10. Apparatus of the character stated comprising in combination knitting mechanism, and a segmental, ring-like member of hard rubber, having a base portion terminating in a depending rib, so positioned that the work as it leaves said knitting mechanism frictionally engages said rib.

11. Apparatus of the character stated comprising in combination, knitting mechanism, a support carrying a thread binder and a thread cutter, a segmental ring-like member of hard rubber, having a base portion provided with a. depending rib, and means for securing the base portion to said support.

12. Apparatus of the character stated, comprising in combination, knitting mechanism, a support carrying a thread binder and a thread cutter, a segmental ring-like member of hard rubber, having a base portion provided with an integral depending rib, and means for securing the base portion to said support.

13. Apparatus of the character stated, comprising in combination, knitting mechanism, a support carrying a thread binder and a thread cutter, a segmental ring-like member of hard rubber, having a base portion provided with an integral depending rib, said base and rib being tapped for the reception of screws and screws penetrating said support and engaging said taps for securing said device to place.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

GURT FEIG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. E. 

